Queen for a Day
by Peach Creek
Summary: Nazarie one-shot. Everyone is acting strange at school, and Marie can't figure out why. Rated M for language.


Marie woke up in a foul mood nearly half an hour after her alarm went off. She groaned and threw her clothes on. She barely had time to run a comb through her hair before she had to rush out of the house without her makeup or coffee. She thought she might be able to convince Edd to sneak a cup from the teachers' lounge for her, teacher's pet that he was, but when she arrived at the school building, her friends were nowhere to be found. _Weird,_ she thought. At the very least she expected Edd and Kevin to be there on time. She shrugged it off and trudged inside. She caught a few stares on the way to her locker, but she didn't mind. Her bright blue hair always drew attention, especially from the freshmen. She opened her locker and began looking for her emergency makeup bag. She found it buried under a stack of unfinished homework and set about applying it to her face, choosing to stick to the minimum: black eyeliner and a hint of blush, a pale pink powder that she only wore because Nazz had given it to her, telling her that she looked cute with a pop of color on her cheeks. Speaking of Nazz…

Marie jumped when the bell rang. _Where the hell is everyone? Nazz always meets me here before class._ Irritated and disappointed, she stalked off to class. She vaguely noticed that she was attracting far more attention than she usually did. She paused outside of her classroom to look herself over. Nothing seemed out of place. She sighed and slid into her desk. Waiting for the class to start, she let her mind go blank and in boredom listened to the chatter around her. She perked up when she heard her name whispered from the back of the class. She stared down at her desk, trying to hear the rest of the conversation. No such luck; she only managed to pick out a few whispered words before the three girls burst into giggles. Anger welled up inside her. She picked up her backpack and let it slam onto the desk. Immediately the class went silent, eyeing her warily. Before anyone could say anything, the teacher strode into the room and began collecting homework, the incident forgotten in a frenzy of papers.

Her next class she shared with Kevin and Nazz. Nazz usually waited to walk with Marie, but when she didn't show after a couple of minutes, Marie left in a huff. Her mood was quickly heading south, and the stares and giggles as she passed through the hallways wasn't helping. She glared at anyone and everyone, effectively hushing any conversations that were taking place and leaving a stunned silence in her wake. She finally snapped at two freshmen girls who were doing a horrendous job at hiding their giggles and pointing fingers.

"_What?!_" she roared.

One of the girls let out a shrill scream. Her friend clamped a hand down over her mouth and dragged her away, shaking like a leaf. Marie whipped around to stare down the rest of the students clustered in the hallway.

"Does anybody _else_ have a problem?!" she demanded.

Large fingers caught her by the back of the shirt and pulled. She stumbled and shot a dirty look at the owner of the offending hand. Kevin grinned down at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Come on, Kanker. I think you've terrorized enough people for one day. We gotta get to class." He took off down the hall, pulling her along with him.

"I'll show you terror…" she muttered. Kevin just laughed and pushed her into the classroom. "Hey, careful with the goods! I'm _fragile_," she complained.

"Ha! Sure you are. Just sit down," he replied.

He nudged her toward her desk and sat down at his own. The bell rang to begin the class, but Nazz still hadn't shown. Marie shifted uncomfortably. She was so used to their routine; it was weird when Nazz missed a day. She pulled her cellphone out of her pocket, tapped out a text, and sent it to her girlfriend.

[M: Where are you?]

[N: Hi, baby! I miss you!]

[M: That doesn't answer the question.]

[N: Don't you worry your pretty little head. I'll see you at the assembly, kay? 3]

Marie sighed, frustrated and confused. She switched tactics, ripping out a sheet of paper and scribbling on it: _tell me where Nazz is_. She waited for the teacher to turn his back and shoved it across the empty desk in between Kevin and herself. Kevin took the paper and read it. He grinned, wrote a response, and slid it back: _or what?_ Marie fumed for a moment: _or I'll kick your ass. _Kevin read the threat and shook his head; he knew it was empty: _bring it on, princess, I can take you. _She resisted the urge to throttle him right in the middle of class: _tell me or I'll rip up Double D's biology homework_. Kevin stiffened and shot her a glare: _leave him the fuck out of this. I'm not telling and that's final. _Marie ground her teeth together and balled the paper up. She whipped it at Kevin's head, but he caught it easily and let it fall to the ground. God, she wanted to slap that smirk off his face.

Ten minutes before class ended, Kevin stood and handed a note to the teacher. The balding man read it and nodded, waving his hand toward the door. Kevin slung his bag over his shoulder and winked at Marie before walking out. She stared after him in disbelief.

"What the _fu_-oh, hello, Mr. Stiles. How are you today?" Marie bit her lip, surprised by her sudden outburst.

Mr. Stiles glared at her disapprovingly. "I'm doing quite well, Marie. May I continue my lesson now?"

Marie nodded and sank down in her seat, trying to ignore the giggles around her. Her face grew hot and she put her head down to hide it. She was the first one out of the classroom when the bell rang. She stormed down the hall toward the lunchroom. Word of her earlier outburst must have spread; students left and right fell all over themselves to avoid crossing her path. She rolled her eyes. Coming around the corner, she caught sight of a red baseball cap, a black beanie, a couple of Eds, and a certain blonde cheerleader. _What the hell is going on?_

As she approached her friends, Nazz started guiltily. "Gotta go!" she said. She took off running down the hall before Marie could even call her name. "Love you, Marie!"

"Nazz!" Marie shouted, but too late; her girlfriend was gone.

She turned back to the group, eyes pleading for an explanation. Ed and Eddy were looking anywhere but at her. Edd offered an apologetic smile. Kevin had a hand over his mouth to hide his grin. Speaking of Kevin…

"Hey, Double D. Can I see your biology homework for a second? I want to see what you put for the second question."

Kevin's expression darkened, his eyes threatening. Marie smiled innocently. Edd looked back and forth between the two for a second, his face confused and worried. He reached into his bag and held the homework out. Kevin moved to grab it, but Marie was faster. She held the paper up, looked the redhead straight in the eyes, and tore the paper right down the middle. The silence in the hallway was broken only by Edd's squeak of surprise. Marie dropped the two halves and spun on her heel to walk away.

"Oh, no you don't, Kanker!" Ed's arms wrapped around her, lifting her from the floor as Eddy scowled and said, "I don't care that you're in a bad mood. Sockhead didn't do a damn thing to you. Look at him."

Kevin crouched next to a devastated Double D. The skinny boy was holding a half in each hand, eyes wide with panic. Kevin rubbed circles into his back, trying to keep him from hyperventilating. Marie felt guilt flood through her. She didn't think Edd would take it that hard.

"Yeah, you feel bad now, don't you?" Eddy jabbed a finger into her chest. "Apologize and I _might_ let Ed put you down."

"Hey, I'm sorry, Double D. Really. I don't know what I was thinking. I'll fix it, I promise," Marie spoke softly. Eddy nodded and Ed set her gently on her feet. She knelt next to her trembling friend and held out her hand. "Come on. We can go tape it up in the library."

"I suppose that would be satisfactory," Edd replied. He took her hand and stood. "Farewell, gentlemen. I shall see you at the assembly later."

Kevin placed a kiss on Edd's cheek and the Eds waved goodbye as he turned toward the library with Marie. He fussed with the torn paper until Marie got fed up and snatched them away.

"Relax, Edd. We'll tape it right up. It'll be fine." She glanced at him and sighed. "I really am sorry. I was just trying to mess with your dick of a boyfriend. I didn't realize it would upset you that much."

"It's quite alright, Marie. I was supposed to distract you during the lunch hour anyway," Edd replied.

Marie raised an eyebrow. "Distract me? From what?"

Edd's eyes widened and he clapped his hands over his mouth. Marie prodded him for more information, but he just shook his head. He didn't speak another word until the paper had been mended. The library gave them a strange look when Marie requested the tape roll but didn't pry. Marie carefully lined the edges of the papers together and smoothed a long strip of tape along the tear. She held it up, smiling.

"There! Good as new."

Edd took the paper and slid it into his bag. "Thank you, Marie."

"No problem! Well, I'll see you in class," she replied. She turned to leave, but Edd grabbed her wrist. "You planning on stopping me, smarty-pants?"

"Yes," he said defiantly. "While my physique is certainly unimpressive, I am under strict orders to keep you occupied during the lunch hour, and I do have a secret weapon at my disposal."

"Oh? And what is that?"

"If you try to leave, I am a mere push of a button away from informing Nazz that you are misbehaving. She said to tell you that, and I quote, 'if you're a naughty kitten you won't get any milk later'. She said you would know what that meant."

Marie blushed from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears. "Fine," she grumbled. "I'll be good. We might as well stay here. I don't have anywhere better to go."

She threw her bag down next to one of the library computers and slumped into the chair. Edd smiled and shook his head, taking the seat next to her. He logged on a pulled open an essay file, glad for the opportunity to get ahead on his homework. Marie plugged her flash drive in and opened the file that would allow her to bypass the school's block on non-educational sites. She spent a good half-hour scrolling through the websites of her favorite bands, sighing wistfully at all of the concerts she would never be able to attend. She glanced at the clock; they had ten minutes left before class and she was hungry. She dragged Edd away from the computer and the pair ate lunch quietly in their classroom. When the bell rang, she pulled out her homework and her textbook, determined to focus on the lecture if it killed her.

"Good afternoon, class! First things first: please bring your homework to the front and place it in the basket. On your way back to your desk, take one of the ballots on my desk. It's time to vote for the homecoming king and queen! How exciting! Hurry up now. We don't have all day!"

Marie groaned and slid out of her desk to take her paper up. She grabbed a ballot and sat down heavily. As a female student, she was allowed to vote for the queen; the boys would decide on their king. She took out a pen and wrote "Nazz" on the line provided. As an afterthought, she drew a little heart next to it. No one would know she wrote it, after all. The teacher came around with an envelope and had the students cast their votes. She then sealed the envelope and handed it to Edd.

"Farewell, Marie!" he said brightly. "See you at the assembly!"

_See you at the assembly!_ she thought sarcastically. It felt like that was all she'd heard today. She had half a mind to skip the stupid thing out of spite, but she didn't want to hurt Nazz's feelings. The teacher began her lecture and Marie put all her focus into taking notes. She was mildly surprised to discover that when she paid attention she actually understood the material. She made a mental note to tell Edd about it later; she was sure he'd get a kick out of it. The class dragged on forever, but finally third block ended and it was time for the assembly. She followed the flow of excited students into the gymnasium and took a spot in the corner of the bleaches designated for seniors. She saw her sisters a few rows down and waved. They giggled and waved back.

The gymnasium filled up quickly, and the noise became deafening. Irritated, Marie pressed her hands to her ears. Skipping out was sounding like a pretty good idea. As if they could read her thoughts, Ed and Eddy materialized out of nowhere on either side of her, effectively trapping her. Edd shouted out a greeting, leading Kevin by the hand into the row just below them. Ed wrapped his long arms around the entire group of friends for a hug, throwing them all off balance. His cheerful attitude spread with the hug, and Marie found herself smiling as the assembly began.

The principal spoke for a few minutes. The students clapped politely as he stepped away from the microphone, but they erupted in cheers as the cheerleaders took to the floor. Music filled the building and the perky cheerleaders launched into their routine. Marie watched in awe as Nazz flipped across the floor, her skirt leaving nothing to the imagination. She was captain of the cheerleading squad and based on her performance here not a single student would deny that she deserved it. Her slender legs stretched on forever. Perhaps she would wear that outfit later tonight if asked nicely. Marie forced herself to look away when she felt a tug on her sleeve. She looked down to find Edd watching her with a concerned expression creasing his brow.

"Marie, your cheeks are red. Do you require hydration? I have a bottle of water in my bag…" he said.

Eddy snickered. Before Marie could respond, the routine ended and Nazz skipped up to the microphone. She tapped it a few times and waved to the crowd. The students cheered. Nazz crinkled her face up and cupped a hand to her ear. In response, the students went wild screaming, clapping, and stomping on the bleachers. Nazz smiled widely.

"Now, that's more like it! How's it going, Peach Creek?" she shouted. She got the cheers she was looking for. "Tomorrow is the homecoming game and dance, as you all know. Our very own Peach Creek Cobblers will be taking on the Riverside Ravens tomorrow at five. Now, I've heard from a pretty reliable source that the Ravens are a pretty good team." The crowd booed. "Hey, now, the facts don't lie. The Ravens are pretty good…" She paused for dramatic effect. Marie rolled her eyes. "But the Cobblers are better, right?" The crowd cheered. "Right?!" The noise from the student body left a ringing in Marie's ears. "Let's show the Cobblers how much we love them! Come on down, gentlemen!"

The football team descended from various places around the bleachers while the students clapped. Kevin sauntered down to stand in front as the captain of the team. The players formed a circle around him and began to sway back and forth, shouting their pre-game chant. Kevin's grin stretched from ear to ear as he spurred them on. Finally, he put his hand up and the others crowded around to add their hands to the mix.

"On three!" Kevin shouted. "One, two, three!"

"Go, Cobblers!" the team shouted in unison.

The students screamed and clapped until Marie thought for sure her eardrums were ruined. The team members dispersed, shoving each other around and laughing. Edd slid his hand into Kevin's when the redhead returned and Eddy made a gagging sound. Nazz waved her hands to calm the crowd so she could speak again.

"I expect to see all of you at the game tomorrow! And I hope you've all found a date for the dance. I'm looking at you, boys." Nazz beamed at the students. "Speaking of the homecoming dance, I think it's time to announce this year's king and queen! You've all cast your votes, and we tallied them up. We'll announce the king first." She was handed an envelope by one of the younger cheerleaders. "This year's homecoming king is: Kevin Barr!"

Marie smiled and clapped along as Kevin walked up to receive his crown. No surprises there; he was by far the most popular guy in school. Edd clapped enthusiastically and Kevin blew him a kiss. The girls in the crowd sighed "aww" in unison and Edd blushed bright red. Nazz kissed her best friend on the cheek and placed the plastic crown on his head. He moved off to the side to wait for the announcement of the queen. Nazz received a second envelope and pulled out the paper. She grinned widely.

"And this year's queen, by (almost) unanimous vote, is: Marie Kanker!"

Marie stood stunned. _Did…was…me?_ Ed pushed Marie toward the stairs and she stumbled forward. The students began to cheer, chanting her name. Nazz held her arms out and Marie slowly walked up to greet her. Nazz pulled out the tiara; it had been spray-painted black. She winked at Marie and set it on her head, turning her around to face the student body. Marie waved weakly and turned her head to gape at Nazz.

"What…how did you…?"

Nazz giggled. "Kevin and I spent the last week talking to all the classes to convince them to vote for you. I know you've had a rough year, and I wanted to show you that I'm here for you. We're all here for you. You're beautiful and wonderful, and we love you very much."

Kevin pulled on Marie's sleeve. "Come on, princess. The yearbook wants a picture."

She shoved him away. "That's _queen_ to you, mister!"

He bowed deeply, sweeping his hand in front of him dramatically. "My apologies, your highness."

She laughed and waved him away. He threw an arm around her and held up a "rock on" sign. Marie followed suit, sticking her tongue out as the camera flashed. The photographer gave them the thumbs up. Kevin pushed Marie toward Nazz as the blonde girl removed the microphone from the stand. She came over to take Marie's hand.

"Nobody deserves this more than you do, Marie Kanker." The crowd cheered in confirmation. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me, and it would mean the world to me if you would go to the dance with me. What do you say?" Marie nodded wordlessly. Nazz smiled and stole a quick kiss. "She said yes!" she shouted.

Marie covered her face with her hand, grinning broadly, and wrapped her free arm around her girlfriend's waist. The students cheered their loudest yet, caught up in the moment. The band director counted the pep band in, adding music to the overwhelming noise. The seniors rushed the floor, led by the Eds, and began to chant the Peach Creek fight song as the band played. Edd found himself on Kevin's shoulders, grasping desperately at the red baseball cap. Ed danced around wildly while Eddy was quick to pick up any loose change falling out of the pockets of excited students. Marie took it all in with a smile and turned to Nazz.

"What did you mean '_almost _unanimous vote'?" She shouted to be heard over the noise.

Nazz grinned and held up a slip of paper. "Well, _some_body voted for me, and I think I have a pretty good idea who it was."

Marie took the slip. It was her ballot. She blushed, mentally kicking herself for being so sappy as to draw a heart on it. Nazz took Marie's hand, sliding their fingers together, and pulled her close. In the frenzy of the crowd, their kiss went generally unnoticed, but to the two girls it was the very center of the universe.


End file.
